La Gustosa

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Trim and wash the zucchini, and then cut them in little cubes. If needed, remove the excess white part inside. In a saucepan, pour a drizzle of olive oil, and add the garlic. Heat over medium-high heat, and as soon as it begins to fry, add the zucchini, the salt, sugar and a little bit of hot water. Cook with the lid on for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the zucchini turn soft but not mushy. Remove from the heat, and place the zucchini with their cooking juices in a deep container. Add a few leaves of basil and mint, and blend with an immersion blender until you get a soft and velvety cream. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.

2. Cut the feta cheese into small cubes and slice the sun-dried tomatoes into strips and set aside.

3. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

4. Arrange the hazelnuts on the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 5 minutes, turning frequently to avoid burning them. Turn off the oven and leave them in for 5 minutes. Transfer the hazelnuts to a cutting board and roughly chop them with a sharpened knife.

5. Toast the slices of bread on both sides in your oven or in a toaster until they are golden brown. Spread the zucchini cream on the top of each bread slice, place the feta cheese, the strips of sun-dried tomatoes and the chopped hazelnuts on top. Finish by garnishing with orange honey and grated cheese.
   
   Tip: I suggest spreading the zucchini cream on your toasted bread slices while the toast is still warm.

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